Trap-door latch operating means



July 24, 1951 A. G. DEAN TRAP Door` LATCH OPERATING MEANS Filed Nov. 17. 1949 OPERA-rods CONT RoLs- ATTORNEY VPatented July 24, '1951 I.

TRAP-DOOR LATCH OPERATING'MEANS Albert G. Dean, Narherth, Pa., assignor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania l Application November 17, 1949, Serial No. 127,971

'Thisinvention relates -totrap door latch oper` ating means, especially to operating means for the latches of railway `car vestibule trap doors adapted `to operate the latches when they are covered by a vestibule end door, and has for an object `the provision of improvements in this art.

@n ascertain type of railway car, such Vfor example as a multiple unit or M. U, car, operator's `controls are provided at each end of each car provided with mechanism embodying Vthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged outside elevation of the lower portion of the `vestibule door when closed over, i. e. in front of, the trap door latch, the elevation being viewedfrom line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section takenon the line `3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig; 4 is an enlarged elevation of the lower porcar. Most subway and suburban cars are of this lo tion of the vestibule door showingthe latch and type. The Ycontrols are located at one side of the latch operator in juxtaposition ready for `operaendof the "car and at certain times they are cov.- tion, the elevation being viewed from the line I ered by a vestibule door which `when the con- 4-*4 ofFig. 1.

trols'are in use is located insome other position. Referring to the drawings, there is shown a The vestibule doormay beused to close the iront` railway passenger ear I0 Vwhich provides one setend-o`the carfacross the center aisle or it may be ting for the uSe 0f the invention. The oar has a used to close off the operators compartment at Vestbulo, generally indicated by the numeral thecontrdls. In any case, the door is frequently o. Side vestibule 0r `Colfltlol-COl/el'illg door l2, all closed `over the controls, the door ntting and end vestibule door I3, and a trop door I4 The latching into fa frame, when the trap door is to trap door is hinged at I5 on its rear edge so as be raised at stations to uncover the steps for use to swing down over the stepwell or up against byfhepasgengers, the rear vestibule wall over the side door when The ylatch of the trap door is located on the swung inward. Along torsion spring Il urgesfthe trapdoorlframe be1ow the operators eontroisand trandoor toward raised position. consequently is covered when the vestibule door A latoh i8 SmOU-Ilted ou the front edge of the ls-"losedover the controls. `It is therefore necfloot' frame fol" holding dOWu the trap `C1001 and es'sary to 'provide means for operating the 1atch for starting it upward when released. The latch toirelease the trap doorwhen the vestibule door has an actuator such as on operating plunger I9 is thus closed over the controls. The problem is Which S pushed d0Wn t0 release the trap door. not-new. It has been solved before insofar as mere In Fig. 1 it maybe YSeen that the 'end vestibule operation of the latch is concerned. But the laten and Control-Covering door I3 is mounted on operating mechanism heretofore'provided-has re-` hinges near the fr0-nt inner Cornel 0f the trop quired oversized slots in the door. This is not door, soeoioally on oeollision post 20, soas to particularly objectionable if the vestibule door SWIlg from o flrSt position, Where it Closes the is used interiorly to close 01T the operators com- 35 front end of the aisle passage of the car, to a partment; but it is quite objectionable when the second position, where it covers or conceals the door in its alternate position is required to close latch I8. In the second position, however, it the end of the oar, because here the slots admit leaves the trap door itself clear for opening and wind and Water into and through the door with closing movement. In the second position the the result that the vestibule door is made unsafe 40 door I3 also covers the operators Controls 2 not and the latch operating mechanism on the door Speocally shown, above the latch. Latch means is made useless, as by ice obstruction. 22 are provided for holding the door I3 in. either According to the present invention there is proof its two positions. Operators controls are unvided on the vestibule end door a trap door latch derstood to be provided at each end of each car operating mechanism which not only operates the and to be so arranged that a car or train of cars latch more positively, certainly and easily than can be controlled from one end of any car, norpreviously known mechanisms but also completemally the front end of the front car. The front ly excludes the weather when the door is closed end of the front car will then be closed by the over the end of the car aisle. door I3, or, at least, the door will be swung out The above and other objects and advantages clear of the operators station.` The rear end of of the invention will be apparent from the folthe car or rear car is also preferably closed. The lowing description of an exemplary embodiment, controls are of such a nature as to be free from reference being made to the following drawings tampering even if the door is not closed over thereof, in which: them.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the vestibule end of a 55 Latch operating means are provided on the to push the plunger I9 vclovvn as the arm 26 andv shaft 24 are turned. On the outside the shaft is provided with an actuating arm 23 having a part 29 adapted to be engaged by the foot to turn the arm and shaft. On the inside a coil spring 30 is provided for restoring the shaft to a normal position in which the cam 2'I stands above the upper end of the plunger I9 to avoid interference with it or the floor or other parts when the door is moved. A nut 3| secures the shaft assembly together. It is to be noted that the arm 28 is Welded on the shaft 24. This presents the simplest and smoothest possible construction on the outside, Where it is sometimes disposed. The assembled connection is left on the inside where it is protected. The door is fully weather-stripped so as to exclude Weather when it is closed over the front end of the car. h

In operation, when the door I3 is closed and latched over the latch and controls in what may be called its inside closed position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the cam 2'1 on arm 26 is disposed above the upper end of the latch pin I9 and when the foot is pressed down on the plate or treadle 29 on the arm 28 on the outside of the door the cam and plunger are operated to Vactuate the latch I8 and release the trap door, subsequently pushing it up until the torsion spring I'I or a train crewman finally raises it to the fully open position. Thereafter the spring 3D takes the cam 2'I back up clear of the plunger so the door I3 may be moved Without interference ywith related parts. The trap door then can be pushed down and automatically latc'hed in closed position.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described it is to be understood that there may be various embodiments Within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Trap door latch operating means adapted to operate a latch on the side of a trap door frame, comprising in combination With a trap door and a latch and latch actuator therefor on one side of the trap door frame, a vestibule door covering said latch actuator when moved into a closed 4 position at the latch side of the trap door, and latch operating means mounted on said door in a position to engage and operate said latch actuator to release the trap door When the door is.

closed over the latch actuator, said latch operating means including a shaft extending through said door, means on one end of said shaft for engaging and operating said latch actuator, and means on the other end of the shaft accessible on the outer side of the door for turning the shaft to operate the latch.

2. Trap door latch operating means adapted to operate a trap door latch located on one side of the trap door, comprising in combination with a trap door and a latch and latch actuator therefor on one side of the trap door frame, a door swingable from an outer position to a position concealing said latch actuator and clearing the trap door, and a latch operator carried by said door, said operator includingI a shaft turnably mounted in a bearing through said door, a cam on the inner end of said shaft located in a position to operate said-latch actuator when the door is closed over the latch actuator, an actuating lever on the outer end of said shaft, and resilient means acting lon said shaft to keep the camnormally clear of the latch actuator when the door is closed over the latch actuator.

3. Trap door latch operating means adapted to operate a trap door latch located on one .side of the trap door, the latch having a push-down ac-v tuator, comprising in combination, a door hinged on a vertical axis near the inner front cornerjof the trap door and adapted to swing from an outer .position Where it closes the front end of the vestibule aisle and is exposed to outside Weather con, ditions, to an inner position Where vit stands in front of thefront edge of the trap door and covers the latch actuator so it cannot be directly reached from outside the door, and a latch operating device on saiddoor, said operating device including a shaft extending through a Weathersealed bearing in said door, a push-down cam arm fixed to the inner -end of said shaft in a position to engage and operate said latch actuator when moved down, an operating arm on the outer end of said shaft, and means for normally holding said cam arm above said latch actuator and floor. f

ALBERT Gr. DEAN.

No references. cited. 

